Nancy Mezey, Ph.D., formerly an Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, has been named the Dean of the Honors School, effective Jan. 14.
Mezey is a 17-year member of the University faculty and has been involved with the Honors School since she started. She has previously served as the Director of the Sociology Program, Curriculum
Coordinator of the Gender Studies Program, and advisor to the Sociology Club in addition to her role as a professor of social sciences. In the 2010-11 academic year, she received the Monmouth University Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award.
“It feels great,” said Mezey. “To be the Dean of the Honors School, it allows me to use my skills as a professor, my skills as a researcher, and my skills as an administrator to lead what I think is a fabulous asset of Monmouth University.”
Mezey is excited to utilize her program building skills in her new position. She was originally asked to come to Monmouth University to build what is now the sociology program.
“Within my second year we had a minor back up and running because we did not have a minor or a major; by 2010 we had a major,” she said. “That experience of program building just let me know that I really enjoyed that, so when I look at the Honors School and some of the great things that it has going and some of the directions we can go in, it all requires that.”
Another experience that Mezey is looking forward to utilizing in her new position was having the opportunity to work with faculty across a variety of fields in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is the largest school on campus with 10 departments and three centers of distinction.
Mezey said, “When you have a variety of students coming from a variety of different disciplines, it (a ‘one-size-fits-all education’) just doesn’t work for them.”
Vaughn Clay, Ed.D., the Director of Off-Campus and Commuter Services, was a member of the search committee that selected Mezey as the new Dean of the Honors School. According to Clay, the search for the position was done internally.
“From my perspective, I think that she (Mezey) really represented a great set of knowledge and experience that she can bring to the position,” said Clay.
Clay noted that Mezey has a real passion for working with students. While that passion is a necessity for those who work in higher education, Mezey’s passion was unique in the eyes of the search committee.
Mehdi Husaini, an honors biology student and President of the Student Government Association, was the student representative in the search committee. He provided valuable feedback to the search committee on behalf of several honors students who also participated.
“Speaking to my experiences from being with the search committee, I think that she was definitely a candidate that stood out,” said Husaini. “She has a lot of talent with planning things out and coming up with concrete solutions that will allow for the advancement of the honors program.”
Husaini also praised Mezey for being “mission statement driven.” During her presentation to the search committee, she proposed programming that fit into the mission statement on the Honors School’s website.
Husaini said, “Seeing how much thought she put into the process, how much development she presented to the University body; those kinds of experiences gave me the impression that she would do the best job leading the Honors School into the next chapter.”
In terms of her future vision of the Honors School, Mezey wishes to further promote diversity and inclusion.
She said, “One of my goals is to make sure that the students that we’re inviting into the Honors School are students who come across a variety of different backgrounds and are the kinds of students that we want to push our mission forward.”
First and foremost, Mezey wants the Honors School to be a, “mission driven beacon” for the University. She said, “I want people to look and say, ‘I want to be part of that Honors School and that means I want to be part of Monmouth University.’”
PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth University
